


happy halloween

by siriuslydraco



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: F/M, a little halloween fun, this just came to me suddenly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-15 20:07:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21258911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriuslydraco/pseuds/siriuslydraco
Summary: Seth is not too happy with his wife's choice of costume for their son"A gun, Kate? Really?"





	happy halloween

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween everyone! Enjoy x

Seth Gecko had done some very random and unplanned things in his life that he clearly had not thought of when imagining the grand plot of his own storyline. He'd somehow meandered off into a sporadic line that veered so far away from what he'd always imagined. He hadn't banked on culebra's being part of his life, or his brother becoming one nor had he imagined he'd fight the Queen of Hell. But hey, whatever life throws at you right? Maybe he hadn't imagined all these ideas back when he had thought his life would just be one huge heist and then...._paradise_. But in some twisted way those events weren't all too surprising. A dangerous life for a dangerous man. That's how the cards played out, right? He'd marked himself for danger the first moment he'd held a gun. He'd known that all along- way before the Twister- that his life would be lethal even when he imagined paradise. 

But standing in his home, _his own_ _real_ _home_, carving a pumpkin with three year old twins was something he had not thought of when he imagined the great plan of his life. What happened to getting rich and fat or lying on a beach somewhere with a cocktail? But when he hears his son giggle at the feel of the pumpkin slime he knows this is better. 

He'd been standing for over twenty minutes carving pumpkins like they were going out of fashion, and quite frankly, his arm was getting cramped and his nose was beginning to itch with the sickly sweet smell of the orange mess. The pumpkins don't look half bad, he feels he's improved greatly since the first year he tried it out when the twins were only a few months old. He'd complained then about decorating the house and dressing the babies in those ridiculous furry animal costumes Kate had squealed over when she'd spotted them in Target. He hadn't thought there was a point. It wasn't like they would understand anyway, right? They'd been eight months old then. But Kate had insisted, and well, Seth found it very hard to say no to Kate. 

So here he was, another year older and clearly not wiser since he was standing like an idiot carving silly faces into very large fruit. Seth Gecko, the infamous bank robber and a man who'd literally been to the gates of Hell was now being reduced to a suburban dad. 

"Daddy, can you eat this?" Victoria's large green eyes are all Kate, and they peer at Seth now from where she sits perched on a stool at the island. He looks up from his work to see what his daughter means, although he can already guess. Her small finger is pointed to the blob of orange pumpkin goo and seeds that sit in a bowl, and Seth finds it comical how her nose scrunches up in distaste. All Kate, most definitely. He's dumbfounded then at her question. _Could you eat pumpkin?_ He did hear Kate and Kisa talking about the _"amazing pumpkin lattes_" that they'd had at the mall. But then again, was that just flavouring or.....? 

"I don't think so, Vic. It'd be pretty gross, right?" Seth replies to his daughter with a shake of his head. That was the safest answer to go with.

"But Jake just put some in his mouth" 

While his daughter is most certainly the clone of his wife with her emerald eyes, cherry lips and brunette locks-his son is certainly his. He'd gotten Seth's dark eyes and skin, and apparently he'd inherited his father's impulsivity. Seth is over to him in a second, eyeing him distastefully as he sees how his mouth is stuffed with tendrils of pumpkin slime. 

"Jacob buddy, come on spit that out" Seth holds out a hand and cringes to himself when his son spurts the pumpkin into his palm in one heave. Seth curses in his head and throws the wad of seeds and spit into the bowl. 

"It didn't taste bad" his son tells him with a nonchalant shrug and Seth can only smirk back. 

"Yeah well we wouldn't want you choking on a pumpkin seed before Mama gets back, now would we?" Seth raises an eyebrow in coolness, while trying to hide the fact of how nervous he would be if he had to face the wrath of Kate after explaining to her he had to do the Heimlich on their son. 

"_When_ is Mama getting back? We need to go trick oh treating" Victoria says with a wistful sigh, placing a chubby cheek into her small hand. 

"Trick _or_ treating, baby" Seth corrects her softly as he finishes carving out the last lopsided smile of the night "and it's not even dark out yet, we have plenty of time. Mama is just gone to the store to pick up more candy for tonight" 

Kate had insisted that the large haul she'd obtained earlier in the week was nearly not enough for the neighbourhood trick or treat enthusiasts despite the fact that every year they were never bothered by anyone in the vicinity given the fact there house was basically not part of said neighbourhood. Seth liked it that way-it gave them privacy. To be honest though he'd be happy living in a cardboard box if it meant he was with Kate, and seeing as he'd never imagined being domesticated before, he was even more grateful to have a house and a family.

"Did Uncle Richie get the fireworks for later?" Jacob asks with a bounce from where he sits, eyes wide with the impending excitement of very real danger. All Seth, most definitely. His adorable voice that makes his r's sound like w's definitely soothes any "rascal-like" devilment in his appearance. 

"Yeah, he's coming around later before we go trick or treating" 

At that both kids hooray loudly and clap their hands but all thoughts of their favourite uncle and his annual illegal firework display are gone when they hear the front door open and Kate announce her arrival. The twins are helped down from their stools by Seth and as soon as their feet hit the ground they rush over to their Mama who is making her way in with a bag full of candy packages. Seth is over to her in a second, frowning at her with a look like an exasperated mother hen. 

"Kate, what have I told you? No lifting shit, alright? If I knew you were getting this much crap I would've come with you" he scolds her as he takes the somewhat heavy bag from her grip and places it on the kitchen table. There's enough candy in it to last them until Christmas. She doesn't listen to him though, like always, and just waves him off with a flick of her hand as she leans down to greet her twins who are now bouncing up and down. 

"Hello my babies" she kisses Victoria's button nose and then takes Jacob's face between her hands and kisses his nose too. They both try to fight for her affection all the time and now is no different, both trying to get her to lift them up. Seth is having none of it.

"Hey, munchkins! Slow down, alright? What did I tell you? You have to be careful with Mama now, okay?" his arms are around Kate's waist in one fluid motion and his head peers over her shoulder to glance down at the two tiny people staring up at him. They don't seem interested in heeding their fathers words because Victoria in all her cuteness just pouts and tugs at Kate's shirt.

"Seth, the baby is only the size of a lemon right now. Lifting things isn't really going to do any damage" his wife tells him, instinctively leaning her head back against his broad chest.

Pregnant or not pregnant, Kate was definitely Seth Gecko's priority to protect. The first time she'd been pregnant had been a whirlwind of doubt on his behalf because he hadn't a fucking clue what to do or how to be. It wasn't until the second trimester when he'd finally gotten a hang of things and learned her cravings, how to soothe her when she'd have cramps, and if he even thought she was walking too fast or sitting down too quickly he'd be over to her in an instant. This time was going to be so much worse.

"I just don't want you hurting yourself" he mumbles against her hair as he flattens his hands against her stomach. Kate should know better by now. This man went above and beyond to drag her soul back to working order, of course he'd become over protective of her when carrying his child.

"I can handle it, baby" she smiles at him as she turns in his arms and he almost melts into a squishy pile of mush like what he just scooped out of the pumpkin when she presses her lips to his. It's a short kiss, but every kiss with Kate is that heart pounding, blood pumping sort of shit that makes Seth forget his name for a split second.

Victoria's wish is granted, and Seth's concerns ignored when Kate bends to scoop up her daughter. The smaller brunette nuzzles her face into her mama's neck and lets her hands wind in Kate's hair-a habit she's had since she was a baby. Jacob is scooped up into Seth's arms before he can become too disappointed though and his small fingers begin to trace the flame that pokes out of Seth's collar. It's like this often-the two of them trying to divide their attention between the twins but other days all Victoria wants is her daddy and all Jacob wants is his mama. 

"Wow guys these pumpkins are amazing! Did you help Daddy do this?" Kate questions as she eyes all four pumpkins on the countertop and their daughters head nods frantically, a proud jut to her lip. 

"We helped scoop out the squishy stuff! And it smelled really funny but Daddy let us help and it was really fun!" she explains excitedly. 

"And I ate some!" Jacob announces and Kate's mouth curves at the corners as she eyes her son in her husbands arms. 

"Why am I not surprised?" she laughs genuinely, and Seth feels that deep part of his stomach stir with something (he won't say butterflies because that's cheesy as shit and he is definitely not a sap) when she continues to talk to the twins who begin to babble on exicitedly about pumpkin carving. 

Seeing her like this, so happy and free and so _Kate_, is like winning the lottery and then some. He'd thought after everything she'd been through with Amaru and her family that she'd be completely wasted when it came to living. Perhaps in the start she was- she'd been quiet and distant for a while and then she slowly but surely became herself again. But looking at her now as a mother and a wife brought Seth the utmost of joy. Especially since she was the mother of _his _children and _his_ wife. 

"So who's ready to get their costumes on?" Kate asks excitedly after peering at the clock. It's five in the evening and he's surprised the twins have waited this long to dress up. He half expected them to be nagging since dawn. 

Kate takes their children's wild cheers as conformation and begins to head for the stairs with Victoria on her hip. 

"Kate? Kate! You are not carrying her up the stairs! What if you fall?" Seth calls to her as he follows with Jacob perched on his hip, but like always she doesn't listen "Kate come back!" 

* * *

Self loathing had once seemed to be a personality trait of Seth's. It just came with being a Gecko. He'd been cocky and overly mouthy to almost prove to everyone that on the outside he was some confident, smooth talking fucker who didn't give a shit. But inside he was foul mouthing _himself_ and everything he was. He'd been told since he was a kid that he was a piece of shit- his father hadn't exactly been the most idealistic parental figure but somehow his words had resonated with Seth, and he had just _believed_ him. He had then become a piece of shit for most of his life. 

And then he'd nearly been made road kill by a Winnebago and had fallen into the innocent clutches of a preachers daughter. He'd believed then that he could redeem all his shitty deeds if he just protected her, and that perhaps a green eyed church girl could save _him_. 

She had. 

He was a better, stronger minded and more self appreciating person because of her and somehow (even after all the hurt he'd caused her) he didn't really hate or doubt himself anymore. He was a good man now. He was caring and loving and kind, and got up every day promising himself that he wouldn't be a piece of crap father like Ray Gecko. He'd be someone his children could look up to, to respect and idolise, and most of all love. He doesn't think he ever truly loved his father. 

Seth Gecko was a good man now- a good father. He wouldn't let his children turn into what he had- a common thief.

But seeing his three year old boy prance around with a toy pistol is slowly shattering any sort of ideals he had created. Jacob looks too ecstatic to be wielding the silver chunk of plastic around the living room while Kate kneels in front and snaps pictures on her phone, but Seth is frozen in the doorway.

If there's one man on the planet that understands the danger of a firearm, it's Seth Gecko and he can feel hundreds of flashbacks flicker through his head like a god damn picture show. 

"A gun, Kate? Really?" he hisses beside his wife, careful not to let the twins hear. Jacob is now skipping after his sister who is dressed as a princess, complete with a sparkling tiara and puffy pink dress. Kate stands up from her crouched position and eyes Seth, rather genuinely confused. 

"He's a cowboy, Seth. Of course he needs a gun" her words do nothing to dispel his fears, in fact they only heighten the dread coursing through his veins. 

"Most cowboys were outlaws, you know? Jesse James and all that shit?" Seth glowers moodily with a fold of his arms "did you really think that was appropriate, Kate? You know how I feel about guns around the kids"

"Seth, it's a toy!" Kate retorts with a throw of her hands "it's not like he knows you own about fifty real ones that you keep upstairs" 

"Hey, this isn't about me, alright? I don't want either of them even pretending with guns, it leads to all that subconscious psycho crap Richie goes on about" 

"So you think by dressing up as a cowboy at three years old that Jacob is suddenly going to wake up one day, put on a three piece and rob a bank? I know what this is about, Seth. You don't have to worry" his wife tries to soothe him with a gentle touch to his folded arms but what happens next makes Seth's blood turn cold. 

"Get down on the ground and give me your money!" Jacob hollers from behind the couch where he and Victoria are now acting out an imaginative play scene where she's the helpless princess and he's the hardened outlaw that wants her money which comes in the form of animal crackers. 

Seth nearly chokes where he stands when he realises he's probably said versions of that same line many times throughout his life. He hates himself in that moment for ever being _that_ man. Before he can wallow in his despair too long however, the doorbell rings sharply. He moves away from Kate then and doesn't look at her again before he walks out of he living room and towards the door. He's greeted by the tallest Dracula he's ever seen- complete with a black cape and white face paint. 

"A vampire, Richard? Very tasteful" Seth drawls as his brother steps around him. Seth is most certainly relieved that the Snake Queen is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps her and Richard are broken up again- this week. 

"Huh, and what are you supposed to be?" Richard eyes his brothers lack of a costume with narrowed eyes. 

"A tired father of two" Seth retorts just as the twins come into view. Victoria nearly barrels herself down the hallway when she spots Richie. 

"Uncle Richie!" her and Jacob squeal at the same time, and Seth watches as his brother kneels on the wooden floor to allow both children to rush into his outstretched arms. Richard being so good with children had come as a surprise to Seth at the start, but now it was just second nature to watch his brothers paternal instincts. 

"Well, hello Princess Victoria, Your Royal Highness" Richard coos at the sight of his niece, and his eyes practically light up when he sees Jacob's costume "Jacob, oh wow! You're a cowboy! Look at your hat, and your gun! You know your dad and I loved watching all those old cowboy movies when we were your age. Remember, Seth?" 

All Seth does is grunt in response and walk away moodily just as Kate comes out to greet her brother in law with wide arms and a grin. 

"Hey, Richie. Great costume" she breaths out as she hugs him when he stands, his eyes peering over her shoulder to the stalking frame of his brother. 

"Hey, Kate. What stick's shoved up his ass this time?" Richard questions with a nod of his head towards where Seth has disappeared into the kitchen. 

"He doesn't approve of Jake having a gun" Kate informs him with a soft voice so her son doesn't hear, and the way Richie nods his head shows Kate that he understands. Kate understands too, and is no way judging Seth for his concern but she still rolls her eyes. Her husbands inability to see the good in himself is something she can be exasperated with. 

"Hey, how about you guys help me get the fireworks out of the truck, eh?" Richie exclaims to his niece and nephew who have now begun to run around their uncles long legs- he looks at Kate then through his glasses with knowing eyes "you go talk to my bone headed brother" 

"Thanks, Richie" Kate squeezes her brother in laws arm softly and watches then as he and her children head out the door to gather the explosives from his truck. Kate can not tell which of them is the most excited- Richie or the kids. 

She finds Seth in the kitchen with his back to her, his shoulders slumped and a mug of dark liquid in front of him. She knows better now that the contents he drinks are no longer alcoholic- ever since he'd married her and been made a father he's become less and less inclined towards anything that would inebriate him. Her observation is proven correct when she steps behind him and smells the undeniable scent of coffee hit her nostrils. 

Her arms are slung around his shoulders and down his chest and despite the fact he's wallowing in a deep state of caffeine induced thought, he brings his hands up to rest on her smaller ones. She hears him sigh when her soft lips press to his temple that is smattered with grey hairs. 

"Hey" she says softly, letting him go only to come in front of where he sits on the chair. His large hands are gentle yet secure on her hips, and he looks at her like she's the most precious and fragile cargo as she sits herself down on him. 

"Hey" he answers her, that giddy part of himself delighting in having her so close but the forlorn part of him wins for now. His beautiful wife is straddling him with her lips inches from his and he's not even in the mood to do anything about it. All he can think about is his son and that stupid toy gun. 

"What's wrong, Seth? I know you said you hated bringing guns around the kids, but they've never even seen you hold a real one. Playing with a toy isn't going to make Jacob suddenly want a real gun for Christmas" Kate tries to laugh lightly but Seth only sighs underneath her, one hand leaving her hip to come and fiddle with the cross that hangs from her neck. 

"I just don't want them growing up thinking things like that are right, you know? Guns are fucking dangerous, Kate. I never got the tutoring to understand that, and look how I turned out. I don't want Jake growing up thinking it's cool to have a gun, or whatever. Because _I_ thought it was cool, and _I_ thought I was invincible and I became a piece of shit asshole who fucking _killed_ people" Seth spills to her, his words and voice are rough and Kate just stares at him. It's still baffling to her that even after all this time- after fucking saving her and the world- that Seth Gecko still regards himself as nothing. 

"Seth-" 

"Look, baby, I know what you're gonna say" he interrupts her softly-his dark eyes skipping to hers "but if I ever thought that my son was becoming the same as I was.....I'd hate that more than anything" 

"Stop saying things like that" his handsome face is cupped between her hands as she speaks her forceful words "if Jake turned out like you, well then I'd be the proudest mother in the world" 

"Really? So you want our son to be a dangerous criminal? Wow princess, never took you to be that type of mother" Seth says sarcastically and Kate sighs as she wraps her arms around his neck- her sparkly emerald eyes locking with his. 

"All those robberies, all that danger you lived through....none of that is _who_ you are. Those are things you've done, they don't define you. If Jake turned out to be like you, someone who is protective and passionate and loving, someone who would literally go to hell for the people they love...well then yes, I'd be very proud" Kate tries to reassure him "and he's three years old, Seth. He doesn't even fully understand what a gun is, and I don't really think...no I _know_ he's not going to grow up and do the things you regret doing" 

"How can you be so sure, though? He has my fucking dna, Kate. Us Geckos don't really live normal lives, you know? We're not exactly the go to college get a good job type of guys" Seth's eyes seem frantic now-haunted by the flickering imaginings of his sons future life. Kate can almost picture what he's thinking right now- Jacob Gecko in a three piece holding a gun as he stalks into a bank. 

"I know because you're going to teach him different" Kate tells her husband with a soft shake of his shoulders "you said it yourself, you didn't have the right guidance or tutoring by a parental figure to tell you those things you did were wrong. And you just grew up thinking that it was okay because no one sat you down to explain to you. But I have faith in you Seth, even when I don't have faith in anything else, and I know our children are lucky to have you as their dad. You're an amazing father, you just really need to stop doubting yourself" 

Seth knows deep down that she's right-she's always right in situations like this. Always the calm voice of reason and never someone who becomes exasperated with the chore of dealing with someone with so much self doubt. She'd talked him down from ledges before at the very start. When he'd found out she was pregnant his mind had fought a battle with itself and it had left him feeling like he was really going to fuck this up somehow and someday he'd wake up and Kate and the baby (they hadn't known it was twins then) would be gone. He had believed it to be inevitable but she'd still married him and still had his children, and was carrying another now and he really did not understand why she's stayed this long. 

But damn him because despite his ways he really can't seem to ever regret the fact she fell in love with him. 

"I love you Kate, have I ever told you that?" he looks up at her with that smile he only ever reserves for her, and her emerald eyes sparkle with something that makes his heart momentarily forget it needs to beat to keep him alive. She wraps her arms tighter around him and leans down to brush her lips ever so gently off his-it makes him shiver delightfully. 

"Maybe once or twice" she smirks beautifully at him and when she presses her lips to his, his own are twitched into a smile. He can't seem to get used to the way she kisses him, whether it be softly or harshly or passionately, and with each kiss he's left with a thumping heart that seems to belong to her. He always thinks of the girl who nearly squashed him with an RV, the girl who fought for her family beneath a temple, the one who shared motel rooms with him and the girl who would crawl into his bed after having a nightmare. That same girl is his wife now, the woman who shares his bed every night and not just when she's scared, the woman who holds him and loves him explosively, the woman who has so much faith in him it leaves him feeling _worthy_ for once in his life. 

"I love you so much, Kate" he repeats softly as he pulls away from her, his rough hands fiddling with her long brown hair. 

"I love you more" she retorts like she normally does, a girlish glint in her eyes that takes him back to Mexico. 

"Not a chance" Seth smirks handsomely as Kate gracefully slides off his lap. 

"I'm willing to fight you on that, Gecko" she holds out a hand for him to take and he just laughs breathily at her words but takes her smaller hand in his "now let's go watch your brother try _not_ to set the neighbourhood on fire" 

Richard is around the side of the house, half hidden by the cover of trees that wind around the curve of the lane in an attempt to be inconspicuous despite the fact it's going to be pretty obvious what residents have let the fireworks off when they explode above the roof. His brother is a genius and someone who knows pretty much everything but his lack of common sense sometimes is quite stifling. 

"Daddy! Mama!" Victoria sings as she sees her parents and Jacob's head turns around, his brown eyes beaming as he spots Kate. He runs to her with his arms open and she scoops him up even though Seth looks at her tummy disapprovingly. He bends down to pick up Victoria then, her small hands clasping on his shoulders and her green eyes widening. 

"Uncle Richie got so many fireworks!" she says excitedly. 

"I can see that" Seth remarks as he eyes the bundle that is piled on the grass and Kate laughs where she stands beside him, her eyes intent on watching her brother in law stick a rocket into the ground and hurriedly run away after he lights it. His face is childish and excited as he stands beside his brother and something inside Seth delights at the fact that this right here is probably the most normal Richie's life has been in quite some time. Seth is confident that the culebra life is far from mundane. 

After the colourful rocket explodes in the sky and sparkles above the clouds, the twins clap and screech and request for another to be lit, which Richie is only too happy to oblige. 

Seth stands with his family, one arm holding his daughter close and the other one slinked around his wife as she holds their son and all doubts and anguish that had roared up inside himself tonight seem to shrink away-boxing themselves up and hiding. He knows it's not the end of feeling like he's doing a shit job of being a good role model for his kids, but he guesses that all parents think that way-even if they're not former criminals. 

But for now he's happy with his life-something he thought he'd never feel-and he has a feeling that everything will be okay. 


End file.
